Mary Ahl

Mary Ahl, of Danby, NY, passed away swiftly from heart failure on December 12th, 2025.

Mary Elaine Ahl (née McAninch), was born in Dallas, TX in 1948, the oldest daughter of Jack McAninch and Isabel McAninch (née Olson).

Mary attended Highland Park High School, where her slight frame, pixie cut and directional fashion sense earned her the nickname Twiggy. She went on to study at UT Austin, and spent an enjoyable undergraduate year at Mills College in San Francisco before returning to Austin to complete her degree in English.

In 1974, Mary moved to Ithaca, NY, where she raised her family, cared for generations of pets, and enjoyed the quiet of the countryside. From 1985 until her retirement in 2015, Mary was the Assistant to the Director of the Society for the Humanities at Cornell University. More than just a colleague, Mary was a confidante, a mother figure, an advocate, a clandestine smoking buddy, and on occasion, a wedding witness. For 30 years the AD White House resonated with the warmth of her wit and the depth of her care, and the friendships she made there lasted throughout her life.

Moved by a deep vocation to serve and support, Mary volunteered for several years as a listener with the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service of Ithaca, and later as a befriender with Hospicare. She was a supporter of the SPCA, and considered volunteering her services caring for the animals there, but knew herself well enough to recognise that this would likely result in her bringing home unmanageable numbers of pets.

She will be remembered as an emotional anchor for her beloved spouse Amy, her children, her siblings, and her many dear friends - from her early days of motherhood and her long association with Cornell, the wonderful people Amy introduced into her life, her friends at the dog park where she and her cavapoo, Zadie, were regulars, and ‘the Geezers’, with whom she had a standing weekly breakfast date at the Sunset Grill. She was the fixed point in so many people’s lives, holding things together, keeping people connected.

Mary is survived by her children, Kate Ahl (Barry) of Danby, New York, and Sid Ahl (Delphine) of New Canaan, Connecticut; her grandchildren, Colette, Aidan, Julian, and Zeke; her sister, Betsy Halford (née McAninch) and her husband Lee of Dallas, Texas; her brothers, Pete McAninch (Dana) of Loveland, Colorado, and Si McAninch (Shannon) of Sarasota, Florida; and 10 nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her devoted dog and cat, Zadie and Ziggy.

She was predeceased by her cherished spouse, Amy Staples; her granddaughter, ‘Noodles’; her parents, Jack and Isabel McAninch; and her nephew, Brendan McAninch.

Those wishing may make memorial donations to the SPCA of Tompkins County: https://www.spcaonline.com/gifts

A remembrance will be held at a later date in Ithaca, NY.